A new transport crisis is brewing in Israel – what are the reasons

Passenger traffic in Israel is growing, but a shortage of drivers and infrastructure problems are putting pressure on public transportation. Carriers are increasing their workload but are experiencing a serious shortage of personnel. Egged transports about one million passengers daily, and the railway is renewing its fleet, increasing capacity by 30–40%. In Haifa, public transport is used in only 20% of trips. The most acute issue is the shortage of drivers, which is proposed to be solved by improving working conditions.

A new transport crisis is brewing in Israel against the backdrop of growing passenger traffic and a shortage of drivers. The bus company Egged transports about one million passengers daily, which is roughly a quarter of all public transport in the country. The company's vice president, Amir Keinan, noted that for passengers, frequency and schedule adherence are especially important. The rate of trip completion is about 99.5%, and punctuality reaches 99%, but maintaining these indicators is becoming increasingly difficult. The railway is renewing its fleet, switching to electric traction, which has increased train capacity by 30–40% compared to old diesel trains. One new train can carry about two thousand passengers. The head of the service and customer experience unit at Israel Railways, Shahar Weissman, noted that passengers choose the train where it allows them to reach their destination quickly, safely, and on time. A separate problem is evident in Haifa: the chairperson of the Carmelit, Yael Shenar, reported that public transport is used in only about 20% of trips there. Among the reasons are the lack of a door-to-door principle and accessibility issues for people with disabilities. The most acute issue remains the shortage of drivers. Histadrut representative Uri Matoki believes that the solution could be improving working conditions: raising salaries, shortening the work week, and protecting drivers from violence.